Automatic train recorder



Dec. 31, 1929. c HARWIG I I 1,741,936

AUTOMATIC TRAIN RECORDER Filed April 3, 1928 INVENTOR'. Q,Harw/7,.

A m Irv/W Patented Dec. 31, 1929 rails at the other end S is provided with a UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE CARL G. HAIRWIG, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASIGNOR TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PEN NSYLVAN IA AUTOIVIATIC TRAIN RECORDER Application filed April 3, 1928. Serial N'o. 266,885,

My lnventlon relates to apparatus for recording the movements of cars or trains, and has for an object the provision of means for recording the direction of movement of a train as well as the time the train passes through a given section of track.

I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

he accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference characters 1 and l designate the rails of a stretch of track overwhich traiiic moves in both directions, which rails are divided by insulated joints to form a track section A-B. This section is provided with a track circuit comprising a track battery 3 connected across the rails of the track at oneend of the-sec- T connected across the ofthe section. Eastbound traific through the section A-B is governed by a signal S while the westbound traffic through this section is governed by a signal S These signals are controlled by a manually operable lever L in such manner that when the lever is in the'middle position both signals indicate Stop, whereas, when the lever is in the left-hand position signal S indicates Clear, and when the lever is in the right-hand position signal S indicates Clear. That is to say, signal circuit which includes a contact 5 of lever L, which contact is closed when and only when lever L is swung to the left-hand position; and similarly, signal S is provided with a circuit which includes a contact 7 of lever L, which contact is closed when and only when the lever is swung to its right-hand position.

The lever L is provided with two other tion, and a track relay contacts 4 and 6, which are open when the lever is in its middle position but one or the other of which is closed when the lever is swung to its left-hand position or to its righthand position. These contacts control adirectional relay D, and this relay D, together with the track relay T, control a graphic trainrecorder R. v

c this winding is energized,

de-energized, its polarized contact remains in the position which other words, after the relay is de-energized, the polarized contact which was last closed remains closed. This relay is energized in the normal or the reverse direction according as lever L is in its right-hand position or its left-hand position, and for this purpose the relay is provided with two windings one or the other of which is energized according to the position of lever L. \Vhen the lever is in its right-hand position, the circuit for relay D is from battery E, through wire 11, contact 6, wire 14, one winding of relay D, and wire 13 to battery E. When this circuit is closed, relay D is energized in such direction as to close its normal contact 1515 When the lever L is in its left-hand position, the circuit for relay D is from battery E, through wire 11, contact 4, Wire'12, the other winding of relay D, and wire 13 to battery E. When relay D is operated in such direction as to close its reverse contact 1515".

The recorder R comprises a train chart 9 mounted on rollers and operated by suitable mechanismwhich forms no part of my pres ent invention. Coacting with this chart is a stylus 21 actuated by a polarized magnet 8. This magnet comprises two windings one or the other of which is energized when track relay T is open, the magnet which is energized being determined by the contact of relay D whichis closed at such time. Assuming that relay D is energized in the normal direction, so that its contact 15l5 is closed, then when track relay T is open, the righthand winding of magnet 8 is energized, the circuitbeing from battery E, through wire 16, back contact 10 of relay T, Wire 17 normal contact l515 of relay D, wire 20, righthand winding of magnet 8 and wire 19 to battery E. When this winding of magnet 8 is it last occupied. In

energized, the stylus 21 moves to the right of magnet 8 is closed, this circuit being from battery E, through wire 16, back contact 10 of relay T, wire 17, reverse contact --15 of relay D, wire 18, left-hand winding of magnet 8, and wire 19 to battery E. The stylus 21 is then moved in the left-hand direction from its normal or intermediate position.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Normally the manually operable lever L is in its middle position, so that both of the signals are at Stop. Track section A-B is normally unoccupi d,so that track relay T is energized, with the result that its back contact 10 is open. Magnet .8 of the recorder R is then de-energized, so that the stylus 21 is in its middle position, with the result that this stylus draws a line in the path 22 on the chart 9. When lever L is swung to the right to Clear signal S the consequent closing of 2 contact 6 causes directional relay D to be energized in the normal direction, so that its contact 1515 becomes closed. Then when a train moving toward the right enters section A-B, the shunt formed by the wheels 25 and axles of this train causes track relay T to become de-energized, with the result that the circuit for the right-hand winding 0 magnet 8 is closed at the back contact 10 of track relay T and the normal contact 15--15 so ofrelay D. Stylus 21 is then shifted to the 4 of section A--l3'.

right to draw a line in the path 24 on chart 9. Ordinarily, the operator will restore lever L to its middle position as soon as the train has accepted signal S with the result that '35 contact 6' will open and relay D will become de-energized. Owing, however, to the fact that contact 15-15 remains closed after deenergization of relay D, the circuit for magnet 8 remains closed until the train passes out It follows that the line 24 drawn by the stylus 21 constitutes a record of the time during which the train occupied section A-B.

Similarly, when lever L is swung to the left s to clear westbound signal S contact 4 1S- ,closed to energized relay Din the reverse direction, so that when a train accepts this signal and enters section AB,. stylus 21 will draw a line in the path 23, thus recording the time during which the train occupied section A-B.

N In either case, as soon as the train leaves section AB, magnet 8 becomes de-energized and the stylus 21- returns to its middle position wherein it draws a line inthe path 22 on the chart 9. Although Iv have herein shown'andde- 1. In combination, a section of railway track, a track relay for said section, a signal lever for governing traffic through said secsignal lever, and a graphic recorder controlled by said track relay and by said directional relay.

2. In combination, a section of railway track, a track relay for said section, a signal lever having right-hand and left-hand positions for governing traflic through said section, a directional relay, means for energizing said directional relay in normal or reverse direction according as said signal lever is in its right-handor its left-hand position, a graphic recorder having two magnets, and means operating when and only when said track relay is de-energized to supply current to one magnet or the other of said recorder according as said directional relay is in normal or reverse position.

3. In combination, a section of railway track, a track relay for said section, a signal lever having right-hand and left-hand positions for governing traflic through said section, a directional relay having normal and f reverse contacts and so arranged that when the relay becomes de-energized the contact which was last closed remains closed, means for energizing said directional relay to close its normal or its reverse contact according as said signal lever is in its right-hand or its left-hand position, a graphic recorder having two magnets, a circuit for one of said recorder magnets including a back contact of said track relay and the normal contact of said directional relay, and a circuit for the other recorder magnet including a back contact of said track relay and the reverse contact of said directional relay.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CARL G. HARWIG.

' scribed only one form of recording apparatus embodying my be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departingfmm the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

invention, it' is understood 0 that various changes and modifications may tion, a directional relay controlled by said 

